Date published: 01.09.08 - not release date

MEDIATION MAESTRO TO QUASH CORPORATE CONFLICT

The world’s first doctor of mediation, Frank Hanna, has stepped across the Atlantic in a quest to quash conflict at UK businesses and introduce his own distinctive brand of mediation to our shores.

A powerful, mainstream alternative to litigation in the USA, mediation is still in its infancy in the UK. Belfast born Hanna – founder of The Mediation Agency, an acclaimed US institution – is set to revolutionise the way UK businesses deal with conflict. He predicts that the market this side of the Atlantic is ripe to embrace mediation, and that within ten years the technique will overtake litigation as the most widely employed method of resolving corporate disputes.

Research reveals that conflict is the most time and money draining issue faced by businesses: costing employers 350 days of management time every year. Expenses as diverse as recruitment, training new staff, decreased productivity, and an increase in sick days can often be traced back to conflict.

The Mediation Agency (www.mediationagency.com), resolves disputes for businesses and professional bodies by using an impartial third party to help address issues that are causing conflict – whether it’s between a company and its suppliers, customers, or simply internal issues. Consistently neutral, The Mediation Agency offers a safe, unbiased forum for disputing parties to open constructive dialogue.

Unlike litigation, which can be a costly and lengthy process that ultimately ends in broken business relationships, The Mediation Agency focuses on rebuilding communication, and ensures that the outcome of the dispute is acceptable to every party. This means that companies can focus on what really matters: the smooth running of a profitable business.

Doctor Hanna and co-director Nancy Peterson founded The Mediation Agency ten years ago in the USA, where it has since become a widely respected name in the sector. Now based in the UK, its mediators are highly professional with vast international experience – Frank holds more than 2,000 successful mediation cases to his name and has qualifications in mediation from both Harvard Law School and Pepperdine University in California. He has also published a book on the subject: Conflict Avoidance and Mediation in the Real World. His background spans 30 years as a highly successful solicitor during the ‘Troubles’ in Ireland, where he was also a respected broadcaster and journalist.

Such is the scope of mediation that Doctor Hanna has mediated cases for American states such as Arizona, major cities such as Phoenix and Mesa and has even settled disputes between an Apache tribe and Navajo Indians, as well as Russian cowboys and the Church!

Co-founder of The Mediation Agency, Nancy Peterson, is former Director of Education and Professional Development with New York State Dispute Resolution. She is the author of the 1st mediation dictionary and has co-written a bachelors degree programme on mediation.

Doctor Hanna commented: ‘’In the USA, mediation is as much a part of everyday business language as litigation – and it is widely seen as the most effective and speedy way to resolve conflict.’’

He continued: ‘’I believe that UK businesses will benefit greatly – in terms of time, money and results – from following the USA model of employing mediation as an alternative to litigation. Clearly, the key to ensuring that mediation is effective is seeking the right mediator. The Mediation Agency’s success in the USA stems from our vast experience - with 1000's of successfully concluded cases to our name.’’

In addition to its consultancy services, The Mediation Agency offers corporate training in conflict avoidance to equip businesses with the skills to avoid or resolve disputes. It has tutored high profile figures such as a former Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and a former Head of BBC Daytime Television. The trainers use revolutionary techniques to instil practical expertise in handling contentious issues. The Mediation Agency offers seminars, residential courses and webinars all tailored to suit business’ individual needs.
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Media Contact:

Sue Litherland or Sarah Wallwork
Tel: 0161 941 4252
Email: sue@peppermintpr.com or sarah@peppermintpr.com

Editor’s notes:

•Mediation is a form of dispute resolution that offers a powerful and viable alternative to litigation. A widely used technique, it resolves conflicts through the use of an impartial mediator to help the parties address issues that may need resolving.

•Mediation is successfully employed by businesses, many professional bodies and groups such as sports teams, police departments and law firms as well as peer groups such as schools and domestic family units.

•Co-founders Frank Hanna and Nancy Peterson are both longstanding members of the Chartered Institute of Journalists and Frank hosted his own TV show in Ireland for nine years.

•The Mediation Agency’s services span:

•Teaching mediation

•Mediation consultancy - areas of expertise range from corporate mediation for large businesses, to mediation for cities, councils, football teams, police departments and even family units or neighbourhood issues.

•Conflict avoidance - This method adopts many of the same principles of mediation and educates people to approach any potentially contentious issues before serious conflict develops.

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